Mississippi County, AR elected officials: the quorum court, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Mississippi County: 8 seats on 8 elected bodies. 8 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorBrannah Bibbs Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Circuit ClerkLeslie Mason sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CollectorSusan Short sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerKaren Ash Crane Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County ClerkJanice Currie sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County JudgeJohn Alan Nelson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffDale Cook sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
TreasurerCandace Nichols sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Mississippi County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 42 local governments in Mississippi County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government10
Cities, towns, villages and townships170
School districts (school boards)60
Special districts (elected boards)180

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Mississippi County

39,126people
37.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$52,548 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
21.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
13.7%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$122,500median home valueU.S.: $332,700
6.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
8.4%U.S.: 8.4%
51.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
14.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.9% · White 55.8% · Black 34.4% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 4.4% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Mississippi County

3.7%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.7%. Arkansas: 3.7%.
768people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
20,025people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
20,793in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Mississippi County 0.0%2.2%4.4%6.6%8.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.7%76820,02520,793
August 20263.9%81119,79920,610
July 20265.0%1,03319,68320,716
June 20264.6%96419,88720,851
May 20264.1%84519,81520,660
April 20264.2%86919,67020,539
March 20264.7%97819,74420,722
February 20265.2%1,08019,63120,711
January 20265.8%1,19519,33020,525
December 20255.0%1,03819,69920,737
November 20254.8%99919,83020,829
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.7%98019,84720,827
August 20255.3%1,08919,62020,709
July 20256.4%1,33619,69621,032
June 20255.5%1,16819,99421,162
May 20254.5%93220,00620,938
April 20254.0%83919,90020,739
March 20254.1%85020,11920,969
February 20254.5%92319,72920,652
January 20254.5%93519,62520,560
December 20243.7%75419,61120,365
November 20243.7%75819,76120,519
October 20243.6%75520,10220,857
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.8%1,00819,82420,832
20244.0%83019,95220,782
20234.2%77817,86418,642
20224.5%80717,11817,925
20216.4%1,12816,60317,731
20208.4%1,57017,06718,637
20194.6%87018,06718,937
20185.1%97017,90918,879
20175.5%1,06418,27719,341
20166.2%1,22518,43919,664

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Arkansas's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.9% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Mississippi County

599.3 per 100,0002023. Arkansas: 623.3.
2,279.5 per 100,0002023. Arkansas: 2,236.7.
4murders2023, 234 violent crimes in all.

2023 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2023234599.38902,279.5
2021377940.41,1942,978.4
20204341,061.01,4273,488.5
2017308727.81,7414,113.9
2016429993.21,7694,095.6
By police agency (10)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Blytheville Police Department202514142412,123
Mississippi County Sheriff's Office2025301218,365
Osceola Police Department20221422006,621
Manila Police Department202523353,747
Gosnell Police Department20258162,639
Leachville Police Department202411161,890
Luxora Police Department202512849
Wilson Police Department202138793
Keiser Police Department2025214685
Etowah Police Department202502238

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Arkansas · the U.S.

Police staffing

3.19 per 1,000 residents2025, 10 agencies serving 37,586 people.
120sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
69civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (10), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Mississippi County Sheriff's Office41418,365
Blytheville Police Department311412,123
Osceola Police Department25136,385
Manila Police Department713,747
Gosnell Police Department602,639
Leachville Police Department501,865
Keiser Police Department20685
Luxora Police Department10849
Wilson Police Department10690
Etowah Police Department10238
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251203.196910
20241213.187110
20231142.99699
20211122.85768
20201132.82858
20171122.657410
20161162.69819

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Mississippi County Assessor?
Brannah Bibbs (Republican) is the Assessor of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County Circuit Clerk?
Leslie Mason is the Circuit Clerk of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County Collector?
Susan Short is the Collector of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County Coroner?
Karen Ash Crane (Republican) is the Coroner of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County County Clerk?
Janice Currie is the County Clerk of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County County Judge?
John Alan Nelson is the County Judge of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County Sheriff?
Dale Cook is the Sheriff of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mississippi County Treasurer?
Candace Nichols is the Treasurer of Mississippi County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
What is the population of Mississippi County?
About 39,126 people, with a median age of 37.3; the median household income is $52,548 and 21.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Mississippi County?
3.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 768 people unemployed in a labor force of 20,793, against 4.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Mississippi County?
42 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 17 municipal, 6 school district and 18 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 7, 2026, from Arkansas Legislative Audit's latest audit report for each county (the officers who held office at the end of that year); for justices of the peace, the county's own quorum court page where it has a current one, and otherwise, as for coroners and surveyors, the Secretary of State's certified results of each seat's last election on Arkansas Tally ENR (officials appointed since then may differ). A county's quorum court is shown only when at least three quarters of its districts' justices are known; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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